


Heaven Is A Place On Earth

by BubuBORG



Series: Team Medi: Medic Craft 9 [1]
Category: SilverHawks, Star Trek, TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Star Trek Fusion, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-25 06:05:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17719538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BubuBORG/pseuds/BubuBORG
Summary: A few years after the events of the War of the Ring, Commander Reid and Reid-LeBeau is teamed up with rookie Buffi K'gar to travel to Limbo for a new mission with the SilverHawks.





	Heaven Is A Place On Earth

Northeast Ohio was, more often than not during the winter months, overcast and insular.However, the people who lived there made up for it by acting like living sweaters, possessing more warmth than one would suspect from the outside. Cleveland was one such place, and the Flats in Cleveland was a section of the city that always seemed to be reserved for entertaining and taking in visitors to the City on the North Coast.It was especially so at Heaven and Earth, which was mostly popular with offworlders.So it was, when the three, very different visitors went in through the side entrance.

“Hello, hello!” Steve Weller greeted them.“Ched’s agency always comes through.”

A tall man with thick brown hair took his hand.He wore tinted shades, and his clothes had a bit of an exaggerated flair.“I’m David Anborn, I’m her manager, and this, sir, is Miss Ch’Chi’ La’Ru.”

A lovely Cainian woman, she wore a red couture dress with a wide-brimmed beret and spotted gloves.“Charmed, I’m sure.”

The little man alongside them held a padd and continued to tap more figures in.“Underhill!” La’Ru cried.“Get me a drink.Light synthehol, and make it snappy!”

Underhill scurried away, leaving Weller alone with the singer and her manager.“So, Mister Ched told me that your repertoire is mostly standards.”

“Yes, darling--I’m just in love with those human songs.Just confectionery, they are.”

“Do you have a particular favorite genre of Earth songs you prefer to perform?We could provide accompaniment with the house band, “ Weller offered.”

“Oh, no no,” La’Ru said, waving her hand.“The La’Ru experience is all-encapsulating.We do it all ourselves.”

“Quite an undertaking,” Weller said, pleasantly as Underhill returned with the singer’s drink.She took a sip of it and spat it out.

“This is not what I wanted!Water!Underhill, I want WATER!” She bellowed, and flung the glass to the ground, shattering it instantly.Underhill scurried off again.

Weller started to protest, but Anborn took him aside in confidence.“She’s just a little moody today.You know how Cainians can be, and besides!I’m sure we can recoup any losses with whatever we earn in FedCreds and latinum tonight--We do open the act tonight, right?”

“That was my understanding, yes.”

“Oh, good.Mister Underhill will give you a copy of her usual set, and the lighting requirements.

“Lighting...requirements?”

“Ch’Chi La’Ru is best lit with amber gels with an up lighting of greens and reds.Brings out her fur.”

Weller was getting increasingly agitated.This act seemed to roll on like a steamroller!“We’ll see what we can do.”

“UNDERHILL!” La’Ru screamed.“There is a LIME in my water!What have I told you about limes?”

“Um,” Underhill stammered, “No limes in your water?”

“NO LIMES–EVER!!!!” Ch’Chi La’Ru thundered.“I pay your pittance of a salary only because I took pity on you when you were a rent boy on Risa, and you give me LIMES--”

“We’ll be ready in time for tonight,” Anborn promised.“Just give me some time to set up the stage for her.”

“You better hope so, or I’m taking all my losses out on your cut,” Weller threatened, just as the offending lime in question landed directly between his eyes.His expression as sour as the lime, he added, “Opening curtain is at nine.”

 

As the three left to examine the dressing room, a dark, shadowy creature moved into one of the spotlights.“We have unfinished business.”

Weller began to sweat at his brows “Don’t worry about it.Tonight’s earnings ought to more than pay off your boss--and you still haven’t fulfilled your half of our agreement.”

“You will have your long-term memory restored in full with full payment to Mon*Star,” The alien said.“That’s what happens when you attempt to double cross Zero, the Memory Thief,” he added with a strange, buzzing laughter.

 

 

That night at eight-thirty, Heaven and Earth was predictably packed with patrons and enthusiasts, and Weller was more than satisfied with the turnout.However, increasingly the patrons had a shady aspect, which pointed out to Weller all the more how high the stakes were that night.One especially sinister figure was the one in the back, with his cropped golden hair, black long duster coat and his eerie, glowing eyes.

 

As La’Ru entered the wings of the stage, Weller took the mic.“Okay everyone!Got a new treat for you tonight.Under the Three Crosses of Cain, she comes to you, singing some of her favorite songs, and hopefully, she’ll turn all of your heads.Ch’Chi La’Ru, come on, give it up!”

Polite applause followed, as Ch’Chi strode onto the stage.She looked over the audience; all eyes were on her.“All that you see in daily life is a facade, darlings,” She told them.“And very few things inform the nature of the soul better...than song.So let me let you in on a few secrets, shall I?”

With that the music began to start.Weller couldn’t figure out where they had the music coming from, because Anborn didn’t touch his speaker system. 

 

_We had a life, we had a love_

_But you don’t know what you got ‘til you lose it_

_That was then, but this is now_

_And I want you back_

_How many times can I say I’m sorry?_

_Oh, yes I’m sorry..._

 

With that, the audience was transfixed.The voice sounded mournful, and transcended any pretense and diva behavior that Ch’Chi La’Ru exhibited.Anborn and Underhill watched from the bar, with Underhill’s large blue eyes looking intently at her.

 

_How could something so good go so bad?_

_How could something so right go so wrong?_

_I don’t know; I don’t have all the answers_

_But I want you back_

_How many times can I say I’m sorry_

_Oh, yes I’m sorry..._

 

Anborn got up, his gaze never straying from La’Ru, and circled the club.The sinister figure with the glowing eyes sent him a glance and nodded, ever so slightly. 

 

_You can run, but you can’t hide_

_But I’m not leaving ‘less you come with me_

_We had our problems but I’m on your side_

_You’re all I need so please believe in me..._

 

Underhill kept his eyes out for the crowd, his hands fumbling toward his briefcase.Anborn held out his hands to him, in a gesture to be patient. 

 

_I only wanted to have someone to love_

_But something happened on the way to Heaven_

_It got a hold of me and wouldn’t let go_

_And I want you back_

_How many times can I say I’m Sorry_

_Oh, yes, I’m sorry, Oh-h-h...._

 

La’Ru made eye contact with the stranger, then forward to the front cafe tables, one of which was occupied by Zero.He seemed to be enjoying the show immensely.She returned his nod as the refrain repeated again, and then back to Anborn, who waded through the cafe tables back over to the bar.Once he got there, he brought out a small device and pressed the button, which brightened the small light at Zero’s table to nearly blinding luminosity.It was at that point, where La’Ru’s song reached its crescendo:

 

_I’m on you’re si-i-i-i-de, oh-h-h-h-h...!_

 

With that, the mood changed almost instantly.It began when Mr. Underhill threw a device to Ch’Chi, who twirled around as she grabbed it from the air, pulling her avant-garde skirt from her body, revealing skintight, black leggings that seemed to have a leathery texture.Strapping the device to her left-hand wrist, she activated it, revealing two black blades.

Nobody noticed the eccentricity of her act, as the club was thrown into disarray by the man with the glowing eyes, who shrugged off his overcoat, revealing a bodysuit in red and black, made of the same texture as Ch’Chi’s garments.He took out a nightstick, and moved through the cafe tables, scattering patrons left and right.Those who stood up against him were clubbed in the chest, winding them, sending them reeling back into the other tables.

In the chaos of the uproar, Underhill retreated behind the bar, only peering out around the corner, and clutching a small white jewel.Anborn whipped his shades off and took a pewter-silver device from Underhill’s briefcase, placing it over his abdomen.“Armor UP!” he cried, as plates of red-and-pewter armor slipped all around him, a knight in techno-armor.

The music continuing amidst the melee, Ch’Chi leaped from the stage in a double twist somersault, landing a kick onto the face of the first thug she faced.With her weapon on her hand, she slashed out at his chest, kneeled down and stabbed into his legs, then turned and attacked the next one.

Soon, she and her martial dance partner were upon Zero, where the golden-haired stranger whipped out a comm badge and placed it on his chest.“Lieutenant Commander Reid, Starfleet,” He announced.“Mister Yaglom Shrek, you are under arrest for illegal information theft, extortion, racketeering, and mental assault.”

Lieutenant Commander Joshua Maurice Reid looked at the Cainian and shrugged.“Not bad for our first time out, eh, Ms. K’gar?”

Buffi K’gar shrugged off her Ch’Chi La’Ru persona and sheathed her wrist daggers.“Pity, though.I expected more resistance.This is going to be a cakewalk compared to what we’re up against when we get up there for real.”

“This wasn’t just a test run,” The man posing as David Anborn said.His armor retracted, his shades again placed over his eyes, he walked up to the other two.“Zero’s one of Mon*Star’s top intel people.And his loss is our gain.”

 

“What is going on?” Steve Weller cried as he stumbled past the ruined tables and chairs around the three.“Who are you people?”

“Commander Adam Reid, Starfleet Security,” ‘Anborn’ announced, revealing his own comm badge.“From what we could gather, Zero had you over a barrel regarding an old favor.We decided that we’d...help you out.”

“You can send the repair bill to the Cainian Embassy in Manhattan,” Buffi suggested.

“But who told you?I keep my affairs my own,” Weller protested.He sat a table and chair back up and sat down, putting his hands to his brow.

 

“I’m afraid that was me,” A older man’s voice came from around a corner.White haired, white suited, with eyebrows for days, he looked at Weller with a gleam in his eyes.“Conscience is a terrible thing, Stephen.I thought yours could use a lift.”

“Mister Grey!” Weller exclaimed.“I never would have asked you...”

“Actually,” Gandalf said.“It’s Mister White, now.”

Buffi looked off, peering behind the bar, not terribly interested in Gandalf. She found her Mister Underhill, more correctly known as Cadet Frodo Baggins, on holiday leave from his first year at the Academy.

“You okay, Cadet?” Buffi asked. 

Baggins brushed his suit off, and walked past her, giving her a curious glance before walking off to Gandalf.Buffi gave the old Starfleet Admiral a peevish look, and then proceeded to pour herself a glass of water.She topped it off with a lime.

 

“The listening devices worked well enough for the courts, I should think,” Gandalf told the Reids.“And Zero’s priors should put him away for at least the duration of your upcoming mission.”

“So that means we’re cleared to go to Limbo?” Josh asked.

“I’ve recruited the other two members of your team,” Gandalf told them.“I’ve also procured you another member that might give the two of you a further boost.”He then looked to Frodo and remarked, “Aren’t you on holiday, Cadet?”

“I am,” Frodo said, a slight indignance in his voice.“Adam invited me to help him out.”

“It is very irregular, you know,” Gandalf admonished them.“If anything had happened to him, the brass in Starfleet may not have approved of your mission.”

“Do not be harsh with him, Gandalf!” Frodo protested.“I fairly insisted.”

“I shall deal with you shortly,” Gandalf snapped.“Now make your preparations to disembark.Dismissed.”

Adam and Josh looked at each other, shrugged, and moved toward the exit.“Ms. K’gar,” Adam called to the Cainian, which prompted her to make a small face at the El-Aurian admiral before leaving.

 

“The Reids,” Frodo said to Gandalf.The two bellied up the bar, and the Hobbit poured a small glass of wine.“And, apparently, that K’gar woman.I don’t understand their connection to you. I don’t think they understand themselves.Please explain?”

“Once upon a time,” Gandalf began, “There were three very talented young people.One from an old Reid bloodline from Canton, one from New Orleans, and the daughter of the house of K’gar on Cain.I’ve watched over them over the years and, from time to time, put them to task as favors.But now they’re all in Starfleet, and now they work for me.”

“Gandalf!” Frodo exclaimed.“It almost sounds as if you have a little militia!”

“Nonsense,” Gandalf said, knitting his bushy eyebrows.“You’ll find, Frodo Baggins, that many of us in the Admiralty have their own group of specialty trained officers and operatives, and I am no different.I simply have more...talented people.”

“I stand corrected,” Frodo said, smiling, and hopped off his chair.He, too, now made his way out of Heaven and Earth.

“Frodo?” Gandalf called out.

He turned around.“Yes?”

“How are you feeling these days?”

Frodo considered, and absently placed a hand on his shoulder.“Still mending,” he replied, his eyes not quite meeting the old wizard’s.With that, he left.

 

 

 

 

“No…way!”

The Reid Home in Canton was a flurry of activity in the days before Christmas.Thomas was outside, again stringing up the lights, while his wife Ariana kept the strands straight at the ladder below.Further out in the yard, Joy Reid and Frodo worked on a smaller bush.Joy wore her dark hair straight, with long bangs covering her forehead, which stuck out of her wool cap.Her zaftig, hourglass-shaped body was slightly exaggerated by the winter clothes she wore.Like her father (And formerly her brother), she had dark, Betazoid eyes.

“Adam’s become such an action hero ever since he came back from Arda,” Joy remarked.“All his extra training, being promoted to full Commander...”

“Scuttlebutt from Belmont is that he’s on a new mission for Gandalf,” Tom said.“Can you give me a little more slack, baby?”

Ariana sighed and complied.Frodo turned around and looked up at Tom.“He’s not supposed to talk about it.It’s a classified mission for right now.Still needs the stamp of approval from the brass.”

“Oh, Starfleet will, Frodo,” Tom said.“Gandalf’s got his old talons in the Admiralty and very few really ever deny him.How do you think he got me out of that...you-know-what business?”

Joy beamed.“Well, I thought I’d wait until after the holidays to tell, but...”

“Yes, dear?” Ariana said.

“I’m going with him,” Joy announced.“I’m going to be doing my internship out in Limbo.”

Frodo turned back around to face Joy.“Shut up!”

Joy put her hands on her hips.“It’s totally true.I’m helping with the restoration of their ship.”

“Forgive me if I’m missing something, honey, but Adam’s training his ass off for this mission.Doesn’t that indicate to you how dangerous that is?”

“I’m not going to be out fighting the bad guy, dad!” Joy protested.“I’m just gonna tinker around with an old starship, and keep Adam and Josh company.Because, from what they’re telling me, this K’gar lady is a major bitch.”

 

 

 

 

At the Cainian Embassy on Manhattan Island, Buffi K’gar whaled upon her training pillar, kick after kick, punch after punch, until the sweat slicked her fur into a rather unattractive mass. 

“Hey, Ugly Sister!”A teenaged voice, belonging to Buffi’s younger brother Bruffi, called out from the hallway.Buffi turned around.Her teeth were bared, her bright green eyes flashing; a small strand of spit ran along her lips.Bruffi took a step back.“Whoa, make that ‘maniac ugly sister’!Mom’s looking for you.She’s in her office.”

Buffi took a towel from a nearby rack and dried off her face and arms while she walked through the sumptuous hallways of the Embassy, up the large, accommodating staircase to the upper floor, where she found Dunei’ K’gar’s office wide open.Her face wasn’t too far from her own game face.

“I just wanted to let you know how much your little mission being ‘Ch’Chi La’Ru’ just cost me,” she said.“Seventeen tables broken, numerous glasses and electrical equipment...When you get to Limbo, is that going to cost us as well?”

“Mom!” Buffi protested.“That was, like, so not the worst I could have done.I’m in Starfleet now.I’m all about protecting the innocent and stupid now, and that means knocking their heads in with whatever’s available.Annnnd...there were seventeen tables and chairs available.”

“You had better be careful in Limbo, whelp,” Dunei admonished.“Earth is a paradise compared to most of the frontier planets in the Federation.You may scoff at your superior officers, those Reid boys, but they went through something rather extraordinary on Arda.Remember that Arda conversation we had a few years back.Your admiral suggested you go there...?

“I remember,” Buffi said.“Guess I dodged a bullet, there.Guess I’m not dodging this one.”

“Ah, the Buffi K’gar patented Cloud of Doom,” Dunei said.“You are going to have to give up your grudge against Gandalf sooner or later.”

“No, I don’t,” Buffi said, smiling faintly.“Hating the old man gives me reserves of strength and poise that I never would have had otherwise.”

“You just mind me, young lady,” Dunei said.“Holding a grudge is not our way.Cainians have fought savage and vicious wars with several peoples, including the Thunderans, and simmering unpleasant feelings have never lingered.”

“What about Thundera?” Buffi said.“Never quite patched up.”

“Thundera blew up.The point is...” Dunei said, putting her hand on her exasperated head, “That you still have a lot of growing up to do, whether you believe it or not.If you want to move beyond something like Raphael, you have to do the work.It doesn’t work itself out.I suggest you talk to your Uncle about maybe...exploring your spiritual side.”

“I don’t have a spiritual side,” Buffi said.

“I know.It’s my suggestion that you get one.”And with that, Dunei led her daughter out of her office.“I think you have some packing to do.”

And with that, the door closed behind her, leaving her alone in the hallway.She crossed her arms, and walked away.

“You’re sulking,” her mother’s voice called out.

“Am not!” Buffi cried.

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Orleans’ Bourbon Street was a bustling section of the old city, filled with diners and sightseers.Starfleet officers on leave went to one of two rivaling restaurants: Sisko’s off of Rue Neuf, and LeBeau’s on Rue Huit.Joshua Maurice Reid stood at the front door, welcoming in patrons to the Cajun restaurant, with a drawn out “Bonjour”, and a menu.His cousin Marie was the hostess and took them to their seats.Josh smiled after the last party as he turned around and saw--

Benjamin Sisko.

“How’s the jambalaya today?” Ben asked, looking at the chalkboard with the specials.

“Can’t complain,” Josh replied.“I haven’t seen you in forever, Ben.”

“Heard you saw some action on a planet called Arda,” Ben said. 

Josh’s look betrayed nothing. “Got kind of hairy.Right out of the dark ages, with Swords and axes and snarling goblins and all sorts of good stuff.Wait 'til the file’s declassified, you’ll have yourself a read.”

“Can’t wait.” Ben said, and then indicated a beautiful young woman next to him.“You remember Jennifer?”

“How could I forget?” Josh took her hand and kissed it.“Enchanté, mon chere.”

“I see you haven’t changed,” Jennifer said, tartly.“Slinging that French of yours, to get girls.”

“Well, it doesn’t always work,” Josh said puckishly.“But if I had known to offer you lemonade--”

“You can’t get all the girls,” Ben reminded him.“You have to leave some for the rest of us.”

“I know that’s true,” Josh said.

“I bet you romanced a local girl on Arda,” Jennifer teased.

“Heh,” Josh said.“Not exactly romanced.This time, I was interested, and she was torn.”

“What was the girl’s name?” Ben asked.

“Her name was Éowyn,” Josh said.“And she was the White Lady of the Mark.An honest-to-goodness princess.”

“Well, we won’t keep you much longer,” Jennifer said, ready to eat.

“If we don't see Belmont tonight, give him our best,” Ben said, as Marie led them to their table.

“Do the same with your father, Ben,” Josh answered, turning to his next patrons.

 

Later that night, Belmont Reid-LeBeau sat at the back door of the restaurant, shucking shellfish and shrimp for the next day.It was a chore; he didn’t have to do it by hand, not with the equipment he had in his kitchen.However, it kept him busy and kept him from worrying about his son.

 

“Ded?” Josh called to him from the door.

“Jes’ a few more shrimp,” Belmont said, his voice distant and gruff.

“Deddy, I’m goin’ to Limbo in th’ morning,” Josh said, “And you haven’t been exactly your normal self, hein?”

“Goin’ off again on another mission, when the last one y’went on left you missing for months--You aren’t going to have a typical Starfleet career, are you, boy?”

“Hasn’t happened so far, no, pere,” Josh replied.“But it’s like you said when I was a lil’ boy, goin to SAGR for the first time?“Who wants to be normal anyway?”

Belmont looked at him with his glowing, yellow eyes.“Who indeed?”He got to his feet and walked up to his son.“You gotta be careful. I be wantin’ grand babies some day.”And gave him a hug.

“Oh, you know it, Deddy,” Josh replied. 

“Oh, thought you should know,” Belmont added, as Josh was about to turn in.“That recipe for rabbit stew?”

“Yeah?”

“Gangbusters, son.Gangbusters.”

 

 

 

At the Quantum Cafe, within Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco, Adam sat, sipping his mocha and looking out the window overlooking the Bridge and the Bay.It was a quiet crowd in the late afternoon, with the sun beginning to tilt toward the Pacific Ocean, and it helped put Adam in a reflective mood.Two more years had passed, just like that.With each passing day he seemed to move further and further away from Arda, the world in which he had invested so much of his career.He tried not to think of it as a letdown; he simply had to move on to new projects, to advance his career and perhaps gain a sense of perspective beyond Arda, Middle-earth, and the ancient Númenórean.So, six months after he arrived home from earth, Gandalf had offered him an assignment: Limbo.

Limbo was the home of the Bed-Lama system, a world that had been contacted by the Númenóreans tens of thousands of years ago and still utilized vestiges of their technology.It was their SilverHawk design that he had wore in Arda.It was also in Limbo that the SilverHawk team was based.Their mission was to keep the frontier area safe and to take down the seemingly unstoppable Mob of Mon*Star.

So what did they need Adam for?Why hire yet another SilverHawk when their roster already numbered six or seven, not counting Captain Stargazer, their commanding officer.

“Last minute preparations?” A voice from behind him asked.Female, not so much deep as dark, and slightly lilted with a familiar accent.Adam turned around to face a breathtakingly beautiful woman, with thousands of ebon ringlets surrounding a face with perfect complexion and dark eyes.Eyes that that used to match Adam’s.

“Dee!” Adam exclaimed with glee and got up to hug Deanna Troi.“Oh my God, Dee, it’s so nice to...I haven’t seen you since Nana’s funeral.”

“I know,” Deanna said, sensing the trace of sadness still in Adam.“How are you?”

“I’m a little trepidatious about this new mission,” Adam admitted. 

“Anything new is a little exciting,” Deanna agreed.“A little scary.”

“I think I’m up to it, don’t get me wrong,” Adam clarified.“It’s just that we have a long way to go before we’re ready to roll in Limbo.It’s all logistics from there.”

“So it’s just a case of pre-mission jitters,” Deanna said, smiling. 

“I guess so,” Adam said.“Guess that means I’m still human.”He chuckled and added, “Well, three-quarters, anyway.”

“I was wondering,” Deanna remarked.“What’s with the shades?”

Adam lifted the amber-tinted shades up, revealing crystal blue irises.“Like my mission, my eyes are still kind of classified.”

“You don’t seem too happy about it,” Deanna noted. 

“Humans and Betazoids are practically identical, physically,” Adam elaborated.“Save for the eyes.Losing my dark Betazoid eyes was like...like just another piece of Nana I lost. “

“Adam, are you still grieving for Varria?” Deanna asked, a concerned look shadowing her face.

“Actually, I achieved a sense of closure,” Adam said, shaking his head.“When I was on Arda...I confronted her killer.”

“I read the report when it was declassified. It was Professor Grimalon Suder,” Deanna said.

“When we found him on Arda,” Adam told her, “He was going by the name ‘Grima Wormtongue’.He used the Tablets, Dee.”

“The Tablets of Turnax?” Deanna gasped.“How is that possible?”

“An El-Aurian named Saruman helped him decipher the Tablets,” Adam explained.“Tablets that he procured from my grandmother after he poisoned--murdered her.

“However, by the time I personally encountered him, he was...diminished.A shell of the man he was, due to the toll the Tablets’ secrets took on him.I wanted to...but even then--hell, _especially_ then--I couldn’t exact my revenge.Suder--he wasn’t there.All that was left was Wormtongue.”

“But you mentioned closure,” Deanna said.

“Closure,” Adam repeated.“Six months later, he was killed--in retaliation for killing Saruman.So it ended.”

“It sounds like it,” she said.“Good luck with your mission, Adam.”And with that, Deanna Troi left the Cafe, leaving Adam alone with his thoughts, now slightly improved.

 

 

 

 

At Dock three in Spacedock early the next morning, the team began to congregate.Adam and Josh were first, with Joy showing up not much later.

“Sure you wanna go all the way out to Limbo, just to get engineering experience, Stinkerbelle?” Adam teased.

“I’m sure,” Joy replied, and made a little face.“Oh, Frodo sends his regards, and wishes us the best of luck.”

“The little cadet, you mean?” a voice asked, and Joy turned around, face to face with the furry canine visage of Buffi K’gar.Despite herself, she started. 

“Don’t get yourself all worked up over lil’ ol’ me,” Buffi said, a sly look spreading over her face.“I wouldn’t hurt a Tiderian fly.”

“No, but you might decapitate it,” Josh mumbled under his breath.

 

Buffi stuck Josh with an evil look, causing Adam to step in.“Stand down, you two,” he told them.“We can’t afford another confrontation like we had at the beginning of the year.Understood?”

Josh nodded.Buffi still looked rather defiant.“Understood?” Adam repeated.“Lieutenant.”

“Aye, sir,” Buffi said.

“And you,” Adam continued, circling round to face Joy.“You’re not Starfleet but you’re my responsibility.I expect you to be on your best behavior.”

“I’ll be good,” Joy replied.“I’ll be _real_ good.”

“Okay,” Adam said.“Where are these other two people?” he mused.“Our Chief Engineer and Medical Officer.”

“Down here, boyo,” a voice called from beneath Adam’s line of sight.He looked down to find two diminutive older gentlemen, both sporting blue, goat-like eyes, and impressive beards; one blond-grey, one dark with silver streaks.One wore the mustard colors of the Service branch, while the other had the teal of Science/Medical.

“Dwarves?” Joshua exclaimed.“Gandalf got us dwarves?”

“Gandalf got ya dwarves,” the one in mustard replied.“Reid, yes?”

“Yes,” Adam and Josh answered in unison.

“Well, two Reids, two dwarves,” The one in teal said.“This is my brother, Commander Kíli, coming from the Utopia Planitia Yards, and I’m Fíli, M.D., out of the Starfleet Medical offices.”

“Fíli and Kíli?” Josh said, suddenly realizing.“You’re related to Gimli, son of Gloin.”

“Yes indeed,” Fíli replied.“Though we’re far removed from that old life.”

“How is our homeworld?”Kíli asked.“I get reports of news here and there, but since it’s not quite industrialized...yet...It’s a bit dodgy.”

“We’re hoping Gandalf’ll figure out a way to let us send letters to our kinfolk soon.”

“Well, as it stands now, eight Númenórean ships have risen from the ocean,” Adam told them.“What they’ll do with the technology--technology they’ve already gotten a taste of when we activated the towers--is entirely up to them.”

“That’s all well and good, but I’m ready to begin focus on this Medic Craft of ours,” Kíli said.“From what I understand, it’s a real fixer-upper.”

“So where’s our transport?” Buffi asked.“That was never made too clear.”

As she said it, an orange-and-yellow ship ambled to the dock, moored itself, and began to power down. 

“Ooh,” Joy hooted.“Kinda...rustic, isn’t it.”

“Lovely,” Buffi grumbled. 

They gingerly stepped over the threshold of the transport airlock, and looked around.The decor inside was bulky and blocky, but reasonably clean.Kitschy items decorated shelves on the walls.Less like a ship, the transport more resembled someone’s home.

“Kitschy,” Buffi mumbled as she walked past a section of bulkhead that was actually wallpapered.

“Like Aunt Gabriela’s house,” Joy said.

“It’s not as bad as Auntie G’s house,” Adam protested.

 

Josh was about to weigh in on the debate when a green, wild-haired creature came out of nowhere and, with a thick accent, asked:

“Would you like to buy a fish?”

Buffi’s nose wrinkled at the fragrant fish and tried her best not to growl.“Excuse me?”

“A Fish!Perfectly good cod, aged just so...”

“Get that away from me!” Buffi exclaimed, pushing the fish away.“By the--Are you the captain of this ship?”

“Oh, no, ma’am.I’m Zik.I’m in training.”

“Here’s a tip, Bik,” Buffi said, invoking Zik’s species.“Play fishmonger on your own time.”

“Heh, Don’t mind Zik here, Lieutenant,” another voice came from the fore of the cabin.“He’s gotta lot to learn--ya know what I mean?”The captain was short and squat, with a long, serpentine, yet bulbous nose, with bright red hair sticking out from under his cap.He wore blue overalls over a white ruffled shirt.

“You’re Símor?” Adam asked.“Gandalf hired you to take us to Limbo?”

“That’s me,” Símor replied with a mock salute.“I know Limbo like the back of my own hand--ya know what I mean?”

“No,” Joy replied, “But I’m getting there.”

“Introductions,” Adam said, as Símor turned around to face her.“I’m Commander Reid, this is Lieutenant Commander Reid, and this is Ms. Joy Reid, Lieutenant Buffi K’gar, Commander Kíli and Dr. Fíli.”

“At your service,” Kíli added.

“Well,” Símor said.“We’re gonna get underway in a minute or two.Make yourself at home.Plenty of beer in the fridge.”With that, he and Zik left.

Buffi mouthed the word “fridge?” at Joy, but decided to settle in on one of the large, overstuffed easy chairs in the main room.The others followed suit. 

“Do you think they live here?” Joy asked.“That this is their actual house.A house ship.”

“You know, it’s a lot more common than you’d think,” Josh said.“Got me lots o’ cousins who live like this.Cargo holds below, the living room and kitchen above.Generations of spaceheads.”

“Sounds like retirement to me,” Kíli sighed. “It’s never too soon to start thinking about it, you know.”

“Oh!” Joy said.“We’re underway!”

Símor and Zik’s ship passed through the dock’s space doors with room to spare.There was a view screen in what all decided was Simor’s living room, and soon enough, the stars coalesced into silver glass, and the ship jumped into warp speed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a dark, orange-and-green chamber, Mon*Star sat on his throne, contemplating nothing in particular.Four years had passed since he missed his opportunity to break free of what he had become.Far from wallow in his defeat, he decided to embrace his identity as ‘Space Don” of Limbo, and throw himself even more into fighting the Federation’s SilverHawks. 

 

“Boss!” Yes-Man said, slithering into the chamber with his serpentine lower body.“Boss!They got Zero!He’s been arrested.”

“Zero was on Earth,” Mon*Star growled.“How did he get caught?”

“It was a sting operation, boss!”

“Who did it?”

“Well, Starfleet Security did it, but we got one photo off.” He handed his boss a padd.

SilverHawk Armor.Armor that looked strangely familiar.

“So.” he said.“More SilverHawks. And perhaps more old foes come to the fore.”He templed his fingers, and, beneath his eye patch, a soft red glow poured forth.“Bring it on.”

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED

**Author's Note:**

> "Something Happened On The Way To Heaven"--Phil Collins/Deborah Cox


End file.
